Inside Politics: Boris Johnson survives defection and assault from top Tory

Christian Wakeford appears to have inadvertently thrown the Big Dog a bone. The Bury South MP’s defection to Labour, announced just minutes before one of the most explosive PMQs sessions in recent memory, rallied the Tory troops on the back benches and derailed the immediate plot to out Boris Johnson. That is the narrative being pushed by allies of the prime minister this morning. But unity was perhaps not the first word that sprung to mind yesterday as Johnson was knifed in the front not once, but twice, after senior Tory David Davis landed a devastating blow on his boss towards the end of the session, telling him: “In the name of God, go”. Is the PM on borrowed time? Many Tories say they are reserving judgement on his future until the Sue Gray report, which will now hear from Dominic Cummings, is published next week. Reports say it will be more critical of the PM than expected. Away from partygate, the end of Covid plan B restrictions have been announced with Savid Javid, the health secretary, saying Omicron may be in retreat but that the pandemic is not over yet.

Commons action kicks off at 9.30am with international trade questions. After that, Jacob Rees-Mogg gives his weekly statement to the house. Later, any urgent questions or other statements and the main business will be two back bench debates on China’s treatment of the Uyghur people and the second on lawfare in the court system.

Coming up:

– Health secretary Sajid Javid on BBC Radio 4 Today at 8.10am

– Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves on LBC at 8.20am

JOHNSON BARKS BACK: After a meek performance on Sky News on Tuesday, Johnson barked back with bite in the Commons as he fought for his political career, defending himself against a series of humiliating attacks by Keir Starmer, who looked as though he loved every second of the session. Despite seeing off the immediate pork pie plot, Johnson is still engaged in a desperate fightback to save his job. The 54 letter threshold required to trigger a leadership contest was not reached on Wednesday but there was speculation that even if Sir Graham receives those numbers in the coming days, he may delay a vote until the report is published in order to ensure MPs have the information they need. But a member of the group of younger MPs who arrived in parliament in 2019 urged colleagues not to wait to submit their letters.“You have to make a change as soon as you can,” the Tory MP told The Independent. “I don’t think colleagues should think of the Sue Gray report should be the answer, the silver bullet. You don’t need Sue Gray to tell you what a party is. “I’ve made my mind up. My constituents have made their mind up and are crying out for a change.” The Telegraph front page says the PM has vowed to fight a leadership challenge if rebel MPs eventually force a confidence vote.

DEATH BY 1,000 CUTS: Davis spoke to plenty of journalists in the immediate aftermath of his dramatic intervention during PMQs and the senior Tory, a former cabinet minister who is highly regarded by many within the party, features in the Telegraph this morning. He says his party is at risk of “dying a death of 1,000 cuts” if MPs do not move to oust Johnson as prime minister. Davis warned his colleagues they will be in for a “year of agony” if they act too slow and a vote of no confidence is triggered as late as December this year, a scenario he described as “the worst outcome” for the party. The prime minister will appear to be “shifting the blame” if he fires staff after senior civil servant Sue Gray delivers her inquiry into events held at No 10 during Covid restrictions, the Haltemprice and Howden MP said.

WHO IS NEW LABOUR MP?: Wakeford started the Commons drama by crossing the floor to the Labour side as PMQs got underway, announcing his defection away from the Tories just minutes earlier. In correspondence with the prime minister on Wednesday, Wakeford revealed his decision to quit the party altogether, saying: “My decision is about much more than your leadership and the disgraceful way you have conducted yourself in recent weeks”. But who is the Bury South MP? He was first elected to parliament just two years ago to represent Bury South – a seat held by Labour since 1997, but swept up by the Conservatives when Johnson emerged victorious at the 2019 election with the largest Tory majority in decades. Our politics correspondent Ashley Cowburn has more here.

OMICRON RETREAT: The Omicron variant of Covid is “in retreat but the Covid-19 pandemic is “not over yet”, Javid said. The health secretary was speaking on Wednesday evening as he confirmed that the government would be scrapping its ‘Plan B’ regulations. Masks will no longer be mandatory in shops or on public transport and vaccine passes will not be required for mass events. But restrictions on travel and a requirement to self-isolate will remain for now. Johnson earlier in the day announced the changes to MPs in the House of Commons. “This plan has worked and the data shows that Omicron is in retreat,” Javid said at a news conference later in the day.

SUSPENDED: A Tory MP has been suspended from the House of Commons for one day after undermining an apology he gave for bullying staff. Daniel Kawczynski, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, apologised to the Commons on Wednesday as MPs approved the recommended punishment for him. He will not be allowed to sit in the chamber on Thursday. Kawczynski was made to apologise in June for a breach of Parliament’s bullying rules following a complaint by Commons staff. The Commons Standards Committee recommended he be suspended after he gave media interviews that appeared to call into doubt the sincerity of that apology.

“Sue Gray’s report may not save @BorisJohnson - its fact-based summary may give wavering MPs the clean hands and clean consciences they need to topple him.”

i columnist Paul Waugh reckons investigation my not save Johnson.

“Sue Gray’s report may not save @BorisJohnson - its fact-based summary may give wavering MPs the clean hands and clean consciences they need to topple him.”

i columnist Paul Waugh reckons investigation my not save Johnson.

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